Tipsheet

Libertarian Presidential Candidate Gary Johnson Warmly Received at CPAC

"Google me. Gary Johnson."

Former New Mexican Gov. Gary Johnson, who is now running for president for the Libertarian Party, spoke to a crowd that was eager to hear his message about libertarian conservatism.

Johnson began his speech discussing how he was able to appeal to New Mexicans as a staunch fiscal conservative in a state that is overwhelmingly Democratic. He was proud how he never raised taxes during his time as governor ("not one penny!") and how his experience as an entrepreneur helped to prepare him for his terms as governor.

According to Johnson, one of the major problems with the current president is that he's never had to hire or fire anyone. Firing people, Johnson explained, is challenging--meaning that the president is only really willing to hire people and not fire them.

Johnson said that if he were to be elected president, he would eliminate income and corporate taxes, abolish the IRS, and replace the tax system with a consumption tax.

The crowd at CPAC was generally quite favorable to Johnson's remarks, with several bursts of applause throughout.